Town & Country claims ‘Excellence on Main’ entrepreneurial award

Published 1:00 pm Sunday, September 25, 2016

The Bainbridge Island Town & Country Market was recognized statewide as the Main Street staple islanders have always known it was last week, when store officials received the 2016 Excellence on Main Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Presented by representatives of the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association and Bainbridge Island Mayor Val Tollefson, the prize, as decided on by the Washington State Main Street Program, recognizes communities, organizations and individuals who are helping to achieve economic vitality and build sustainable communities through downtown revitalization and preservation. T&C was chosen specifically for the decision to not relocate the store from Winslow Way and also the subsequent ambitious and vastly successful recent remodeling effort, during which it remained open.

“The company’s decision is the highest example of leading by example, living up to the company’s slogan of ‘Enhancing the quality of life,’ and fostering a healthy, vibrant and diverse community,” said BIDA executive director Jerri Lane.

Store officials said the decision to stay was a continuation of a tradition begun long ago.

“The decision that was made years ago to stay downtown was really made because we wanted to continue to honor the legacy that was established here years ago and to continue Main Street,” said T&C Markets spokeswoman Susan Allen. “It’s important this continues on as an everyday part of the fabric of the island. It’s where people come and meet and drop off their mail and see their neighbors and their friends and we wanted to be a part of all that and still be a part of all that.”

Market director Rick Pedersen agreed, and added  that the award was an excellent nod of recognition to both the store’s staff and customers.

“I think an award like this is for everyone, for the whole community really,” he said, recalling that even during the most disorganized periods of the project customers were supportive and unfailingly polite.

“People were more concerned about how we were doing,” he said. “Asking us, ‘Are you guys doing all right?’”

In more than manners, Allen said, Bainbridge Island showed its love of the market downtown.

“During the whole process, more than 18 months of construction, our sales barely were affected,” she said. “The customers were so gracious.”

To that end, the remodel project included several customer appreciation events throughout, as well as a special website created solely to update the community about the progress and new changes and developments along the way.

Nearly all of the store’s new equipment is energy efficient. Used in tandem with solar panels on the roof, the building now relies on 50 percent of the power it did before the project, store officials said.